Management of spasticity in children with cerebral palsy

Management of spasticity is a major challenge to the rehabilitation team. The initial management has centered on the elimination of externally exacerbating causes, physical therapy, splinting and casting. Medical management has centered on anti-spasticity medication use, but more recently focal treatment methods including phenol blocks and botu-linum toxin have been utilized. There has been an increased use of intrathecal baclofen in the management of refractory tone. Dorsal rhizotomy has been advocated for a selective population of children with spasticity. There is no standardized approach to spasticity management and this paper will discuss the importance of evidence-based treatment of spas-ticity that is adapted for the individual child.